In a recent webinar, we brought together two logistics leaders, Viktorjia Terekė, Head of Sustainability at Girteka Group, and Patrik Westræus, Head of Sustainability at Greencarrier Group, to unpack what’s happening across the green logistics landscape.

Between Trump-era tariff volatility and the shiny distractions of AI, it’s easy to see why leadership teams might pause long-term emissions goals. However, the planet doesn’t care who’s in the White House. Here's what we learned from companies that are successfully managing this complexity.

Riding uncertainty caused by tariffs

Tariffs are not new to logistics professionals. However, the Trump administration's tariff policies have created unprecedented uncertainty for logistics providers and their customers.

Viktorija shared Girteka's approach:

Patrik from Greencarrier offered valuable advice for managing this uncertainty:

Smart logistics providers are helping customers understand these nuances rather than panicking about every policy announcement.

AI in logistics: Beyond the hype to realising real value

While AI dominates world conversations, our panellists revealed a more nuanced reality. Both companies are seeing genuine value from AI applications, but Viktorija highlighted that logistics is still in the digital transformation phase.

AI outputs are only as good as the inputs. Logistics data is siloed, fragmented, and complex. To realise the full benefits of AI, this data needs cleaning before it gets fed into algorithms.

Practical AI implementation

Viktorija explained Girteka's measured approach:

Patrik's team at Greencarrier has taken a more structured approach, establishing "a dedicated AI core team consisting of several people" and hiring "one fully dedicated person on board that works with AI full-time."

Early wins for AI in sustainable logistics

Both panellists are already applying AI to their sustainability work and seeing results. Patrik shared a powerful example:

Looking ahead, Patrik sees even greater potential:

Staying the course for green logistics

Despite macro uncertainties and AI distractions, both companies remain deeply committed to sustainable logistics. Their reasons reveal why green logistics isn't just surviving current disruptions – it's becoming more essential.

The business case for sustainability remains strong

Viktorija outlined four key drivers keeping sustainability at the forefront for Girteka:

• Corporate maturity: "Sustainability is not a burden for us, but basically the responsibility"
• Customer expectations: "We are working with customers that have even higher green maturity level than we do"
• Investor requirements: Clear financial stakeholder expectations
• Regulatory environment: EU Green Deal and emissions reduction targets

Notably, regulation ranked fourth on her list. This is evidence that market forces, not just compliance, are driving green adoption.

Values-driven commitment

Patrik emphasised Greencarrier's intrinsic motivation:

Seeing opportunity amid uncertainty

Both leaders see current disruptions as creating opportunities rather than obstacles. Viktorija explained: "What we're seeing right now is a window of opportunity. The two year delay with the EU CSRD means we can be proactive, rather than reactive.”

Patrik added that “With the relief from reporting, now we have a great opportunity to do those more strategic decarbonisation efforts."

The power of partnerships in sustainable logistics

Both panellists emphasised partnerships as a key success factor. Patrik noted:

For example, both Greencarrier and Girteka have partnered with Lune. By embedding Lune’s emissions intelligence into their workflows, they’re helping their customers report, manage, and reduce emissions.

Moving Forward: green logistics in an uncertain world

Logistics companies that are thriving aren't waiting for clarity on tariffs or AI maturity. They're building capabilities that deliver green value regardless of external conditions:

• Operational efficiency that reduces costs and emissions simultaneously
• Data intelligence that enables faster, better decisions
• Strategic partnerships that multiply impact beyond individual company capabilities
• Talent strategies that attract the next generation of logistics professionals

As we navigate 2025 and beyond, the most successful logistics service providers will be those that view sustainability not as an additional burden but as the foundation for operational excellence, customer value, and competitive advantage.

It was a pleasure to discuss the evolving landscape of green logistics with Viktorija and Patrik! To continue learning more about what’s driving green logistics, download our comprehensive guide: Greening the Supply Chain.